MAYVILLE, N.D. -- The Mayville State University women's basketball team held the Bruins to one field goal in the final 4:36 to overcome a nine-point deficit as MSU escaped with a 59-58 victory over Bellevue University Saturday afternoon in North Star Athletic Association action at the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.
The Bruins fell to 8-5 on the season and 4-2 in the NSAA. MSU improved to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in league play. Bellevue saw its six-game winning streak snapped with the loss.
Faith Ross led the Bruins with 16 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. Elexis Martinez added 13 points, seven rebounds, and a pair of steals. Delaney VanBlaricon finished with nine points and four boards in the loss.
Jordan Zrust (23), Kayla Rocholl (14), and Danneka Voegeli (12) combined for 49 of the Comets' 59 points. Zrust scored the final seven points of the game for MSU. Voegeli finished with a double-double, registering 12 points and 10 rebounds along with five blocked shots.
BU forced eight first-quarter turnovers to burst out to a 16-7 lead after the opening 10 minutes of play. Ross led BU in the opening quarter with five points, while Martinez and Taeha Pankey each added four points.
The Comets opened the second frame with a 15-2 run, holding the Bruins to just one field goal for the first nine minutes of the quarter. The Bruins scored the final three points of the half to pull to within a single point at 22-21 at the intermission.
Both teams struggled in the opening half with each squad shooting under 30 percent and recording double-digits in turnovers.
The Bruins used a 10-point run to take an eight-point lead at 38-30 with 2:52 left in the third. MSU responded with an 8-4 spurt to close the quarter as BU took a 42-38 cushion heading into the final stanza.
A 3-point play by Laura Jurek gave BU a nine-point lead at 54-45 and BU maintained a nine-point lead until two-consecutive 3-point plays made it a three-point game at 56-53 with 3:28 remaining in the contest. A pair of free throws by Zrust brought the Comets to within two points (58-56) with 49 seconds left in regulation.
After Jamie Winkler missed a 10-foot jumper, Zrust completed a 3-point play to give the Comets a one-point lead at 59-58 with 14 seconds remaining. Martinez missed a 10-footer at the buzzer as MSU escaped with the one-point victory.
The Bruins will travel to LaCrosse, Wis. next Friday, Jan. 22 for a 5:30 p.m. contest at Viterbo University.
